Snap hook



Patented Oct. 16, 1951 SNAP Hook Frank Vogel, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner of onethird to Albert H. Reef, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 29, 1947, Serial No. 776,773

y 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to new and useful automatic safety clasps such as are used in connection with bracelets, necklaces, analogous articles of personal adornment and other items of a similar character where two ends areto be temporarily connected. A

An object of this invention is to provide a. `novel safety clasp which can-bev operated with Aease and great speed, and without much fuss or diilicult finger work. Y

A further object ofthe invention is to produce both the body and the cover from separate blanks of sheet material, each fashioned to include a number of elements of the device in unitary structures.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompaying drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view on a large scale showing the clasp connected with the ends or links of a bracelet, necklace or similar article.

Fig. 2 is a, side elevation of the clasp on a slightly reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with the spring in elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 Aof Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cover.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the body blank.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the cover blank.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied I0 represents the body of the clasp which is produced from a strip of ilat metal stamped out to form the blank II. This blank includes a main central portion I2 from the ends of which extend the oppositely projecting tongues I3 and I4 and at the sides of the central or main portion are wings I5 and I6 defined merely by the dotted lines I1 indicating where the parts are to be bent or folded. At the ends of the wings are defined the tail sections I8 and I9 bythe notches 20 and the dotted lines 2| where said tail sections areto be bent relative to the wings.

The wings are bent up from the main central portion on the lines I1 and form the side walls 22 with the base wall 23. Said side walls are 2 f crimped along the dotted lines 24, Fig. '7, to form channels or runways 25, Fig. 5, adjacent the longitudinal edges of said side walls, for a purpose to be presently described. The tail sections are then bent inward at right angles to the side walls to form the rear spring stop 25 in the completed body. The bending of the tail sections is made possible by the spacing of said tail sections from the tongue I4 and their separation from the crimped portions, forming the runways, by the notches 20. The tongue I3, Fig. '1, is then bent upward, preferably in an arc, tofform a nose 21, Figs. 1 to 4, and the end of said nose is turned outwardly to constitute a guide lip 28. Finally, the tongue I4, Fig. 7, is bent into a loop to form an eye 29 lying behind the rear spring stop 26 to act as a brace for said stop and for connecting the clasp to a link 36, Fig. 1, at one end of a bracelet, necklace or other article 3|.

The cover 32 of the clasp is also produced from a strip of fiat metal stamped out to form the blank 33, Fig. 8, including a lbody portion 34 having a reduced waist 35, a further reduced neck 36 projecting from the outer end of said waist, and a panel 31 having notches 38 in the side edges.

The body portion 34 of the blank, Fig. 8, is curved transversely to constitute the top wall 39 and the side edges are turned in along the dotted lines 40, Fig. 8, to form the gripping flanges 4I which t into runways 25 to slidably mount the cover on the clasp body. The reduced neck 36, Fig. 8, is bent back under the reduced waist on the dotted line 42 to provide the double thickness beak 43, Figs. 1 to 6, which is curved inwardly for co-action with the nose 21 to form an interior link receiving opening 44 and an exterior V-shaped recess 45. The notched panel 31, Fig. 8, is bent down on the dotted line 46 so to fit between the side walls of the body and form the forward spring stop 41, Figs. 4 to 6. A coil spring 48 is mounted between the stops 26 and 41 and urges the cover forwardly to close the link receiving opening 44 and the forward movement is limited by the actual contact of the beak 43 with the nose 21. The notches 38 register with the runways 25 to permit unrestricted sliding movements of the cover.

The link 49 at the other end of the article 3l, Fig. 1, is adapted to be positioned in the link receiving opening 44 and be securely retained by the beak 43. While the beak may be retracted by sliding the cover forwardly through the use of a finger hold 50 embossed or struck up from the top wall 4I, said beak may be forced back by inserting the link 49, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, in the V-shaped notch 45 and applying suicient force to wedge said link between said beak and the nose 21 which will irnpart a rearward movement to the beak and associated parts against the action of the spring 48.

Devices of this character are relatively small and from the foregoing description it will be apparent that the use of only'two main elements, as set forth, readily lend themselves to the formation of a small, neat, eiective, strong and inexpensive clasp.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. Y

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. An automatic clasp comprising a body formed from an integral sheet of metal and including a base wall, side walls projecting from said base wall and having longitudinal runways along the said side walls, an upturned nose projecting from the forward end of the base wall, a rear spring stop comprised of tail portions of theside walls projecting towards each other from :andat right angles to said side walls, an eye 'produced from a rearwardly projecting portion zof 'said base wall, a cover formed from an inftegral `sheet of metal and including a top wall, :gripping .elements produced from the edges of fsa-id top wall and coacting with the runways to slidably mount the cover on the body, a down turned .double wall beak formed from a projectling :portion of the wall and a forward spring stop produced from a part of the beak at the rear end of the latter and extending into the body, said beak and nose cooperating to dene a link receiving opening and an outside V-shaped recess, and a spring located between the stops to urge the cover and component parts forwardly.

2. The automatic clasp of claim 1 wherein the top wall of the cover is convexly curved transversely,` and a nger hold onsaid top wall of the cover adjacent the rear end thereof.

3. The automatic clasp of claim 1 wherein the side edges of the forward stop are provided with notches to register with the runways of the body and the eye engages the rear stop element to act as a brace therefor.

FRANK VOGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: Y

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

